The Dedicated Senior Medical Center opened Wednesday in Fort Myers on Cleveland Avenue, which means more healthcare is coming for people aging in Fort Myers.
The goal is to make it easier for older people to find care without having to wait in long lines or drive long distances.
The promise of the new healthcare center dedicated to seniors is VIP service for the most vulnerable people.
Kevin Anderson, the Fort Myers mayor, believes this kind of care is critical to the community.
“Sadly, we tend as generations age, we tend to kind of push them aside sometimes and forget about them. And we should never forget that we wouldn’t be here today, if it wasn’t for the generations before us. So that’s why it’s so important that we don’t forget them that we take care of them,” Anderson said.
The mayor joined with other city leaders, including doctors, nurses, and patients for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. But, the job of actually helping people was already in full swing.
Barbara Snyder is the center’s 100th patient and told WINK News why she switched from a traditional primary care doctor.
“Someone would come in and take your vitals, hardly speak to you maybe a little bit, and they’re gone. And then you wait some more for the doctor, the doctor comes in doing that, and few minutes later, the doctor is gone. And you don’t get enough time to really settle down enough to talk about your problems,” Snyder said.
Yagna Lopez, a nurse practitioner, told WINK News she has fewer patients so she can focus on her quality of service.
“I’ve seen how our patients they change, they change when you spend time with them when you care for them,” Lopez said.
A company called Chen-med based in Miami, will operate the new center. And, the group plans to open another senior medical care center in Tice next month.